chernack



A. E. CHERNACK.

PHONOGRAPH-BECORD CABINET. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6. I9I9.

1,321,010. Patented Nov. 4,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. E. CHERNACK.

PHONQGBAPH'RECOHD CABINET.

APPLICATIQN FILED FEB. 6 i919.

l 1 ,32 1,0 1 0. Patented N v. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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llllll if w n :nung l ABEL E. CHERNACK, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

PHONOGRAPH-RECORD CABINET.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1919.

Application ledFebruary 6, 1919. Serial No. 275,374.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ABEL E; CI-IERNACK, a citizen of the United States,and residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Phonograph-Record Cabinets, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to phonograph record cabinets, and particularly tola shelf arrangement which affords a graphic display of the records whenthe shelves are drawn out, and thus facilitates the identi fication andselection of the records contained within the cabinet.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective of a cabinet in which my invention is embodiedin one form;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2v of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a partial section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 drawn to a largerscale; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective of a group of record envelops for a singlecompartment.

Various types of record cabinets have heretofore been proposed in whichan attempt has been made to facilitate the identification of the recordscarried by the shelves of the cabinet, but these have commonlynecessitated an independent indexing system either associated with theshelves or arranged in some other part of the cabinet is a section onthe line 3 3 of vby which the location of the records can be readilyascertained. Such systems have necessitated `a numbering of the envelopsand a cross-reference to this numbering in the index, and furthermore ithas required that the records be returned to precisely the same positionin the cabinet vafter use in order to maintain the indexing system. p Inthe usual home use of records it is a common occurrence to nd therecords carelessly returned and the indexing systems disarranged so thatthey are practically of no use. By the present invention I have provideda cabinet in which the shelves are so arranged, and the record envelopsare of such character that when the shelves are pulled out theyautomatically display the envelops in such fashion as to form an indexof the entire series of records in the unit, and the only essential tothe maintenance of the index" display is the requirement that the recordbe returned to its proper envelop, and the latter returned to thecabinet injuxtaposistaggered with relation to that of the en velopreturned.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the invention embodied in acabinet unit, but it is to be understood that the same features may beapplied to a cabinet of larger size, having several units, or a singlelarger unit; or again the cabinet may be made up of several units of thetype shown, after the fashion of a sectional bookcase, in which eventthe units would be provided with interfitting means to secure theirproper registry and interengagement. Ao'ain, the shelf scheme may bebuilt into cabinets such as are now common on the market.

As here shown, the cabinet unit comprises a closed rectangular casing10, provided at its front side with doors 11 and 12, to expose theinterior of the cabinet. The unit may have short supporting legs 13, ifit is to rest upon a table, or the corner pieces may be extendeddownward as indicated in dotted lines at 1+i, if it is to stand upon theHoor. IVhere the unit is merely a section 'of a built-up cabinet, thecorner pieces 13 may he offset as at 15 to interlock in recesses 16 inthe ltop of the unit, or any other suitable interengaging elements maybe substituted for this feature.

Vithin the cabinet I have arranged a series of shelves, six in number,each comprising opposite side members 17 united by a back piece 18, andby a series of record supporting elements here shown as wire rods 19.These rods are here shown to comprise for each shelf horizontal groupsof three, spaced apart vertically to form four compartments. The spacingbetween the groups is sufficient to accommodate three records in eachcompartment. The rod groups are arranged on an inclined plane withrelation to each other to correspond to the beveled front edge 20 of theside members 17 of the shelf. Secured to the back piece 18 of each shelfare blocks 21, the forward faces of which are stepped to correspond withthe rod groups and serve to hold the record envelops 22 for eachcompartment in stepped relation to the envelops of adj acentcompartments. A group of three envelops for a single compartment isillustrated in Fig. 5, and, as there shown, each envelop is provided atits front edge with a' cut-out 2301i the upper margin to facilitate theremoval of the record, and an index tab 24C on the lower margin on whichthe title of the record may be entered. The index tabs for the threeenvelops of the group are staggered with relation to each other so thatwhen the envelops are juxtaposed the several titles are neverthelessfully disclosed for all three envelops. By reason of this arrangement ofthe index tabs of the envelops, and the stepped arrangement of thecompartments of each shelf, the titles of all of the records on eachshelf are clearly displayed; nor is it necessary for this display thatthe same relative arrangement of the envelops for each compartment bemaintained so long as in each compartment there is a group of envelopshaving their index tabs 24 staggered as shown.

In order that there may be the least possible waste space in the cabinetincident to this arrangement of the records, I provide a slidingengagement between the several shelves such that while in housedposition within the cabinet the several shelves form a verticallysuperposed pile, yet when drawn out they are halted in stepped relationto each other so as to form an inclined pile which presents the indextabs of the entire series of shelves as an inclined chart in which allare simultaneously visible. To this end the several shelves are mountedupon each other within a sliding tongue and groove engagement 25, 26.clearly shown in Fig. t. The bottom shelf is provided with bearingrollers Q7 which rest upon the cabinet and insure the free action of theshelf group. A stop 28 carried by the top of the unit engages a notch 29in the top shelf and halts it when it is drawn out a sufficient distanceto display the index tabs of the envelops carried thereby. Stop blocks30 secured to the lower edge of the side member 17 of each shelf worlrin notches 31 in the upper edges of the subjacent shelf, and the notchesare of such length as to halt the shelves'in the stepped position shown.The bottom shelf is provided at its front margins with a. cross bar 32cut out at 33 to afford a hand grip. A supplemental stop Bet may besecured to the bottom of the unit to engage the back piece 18 of thebottom shelf and coperate with the stop QS at the top of the unit inhalting the several shelves in their predetermined out position. It isthus obvious that while the advantages of a complete display of theindex tabs for the entire series of records of units is attained, thereis the least possible waste space in the cabinet when the shelves are inhoused posit-ion, and the unit may therefore be made more compact thanwould otherwise be the case.

While I have shown the shelf compartments formed by wire rods 19, it isto be understood that any other means may be used to form the partitionsbetween the compartments; but the rods are relatively light as comparedto sheet metal and are more rigid than the latter, so that theycompletely support the record not only at itsfrontand baclr margins, butacross its mid area and thus prevent any tendency of the records tobecome deformed. Vhile I have shown the unit as made from wood, with theexception of the wire rods 19, and the several metal attachments, it isto be understood that the entire cabinet, or any part, may be made ofsheet metal where this is preferable. Of course the vertical spacing ofthe rod groups of the seve al shelves may be varied to accommodate morethan three records if this is preferred, but I have found that three isthe most satisfactory number since otherwise the index tabs become toosmall for ready legibility of their entries. The arrangement of thesupporting rods of adjacent compartments on an incline with respect toeach other is not essential, so long as some means be provided forstepping the record groups of the several compartments with relation toeach other, such as the stepped abutment blocks 2l. There is, however, apoint of best support for the record in a wire rod arrangement. of thistype, and it is preferable to maintain the points of support uniformthroughout for this reason.

It should be pointed out also that the shelf pile, when drawn out,stands at such inclination and is halted in such position that thecenter of gravity of the pile lies to the Vrear of the front support ofthe cabinet. There is consequently no danger of overturning the cabineteven when the shelves are fully loaded. There a phonograph is supportedon the top of the cabinet this feature is not of great importance sinceits weight is suiicient to 'prevent overturning. I

Various modifications in the details of construction and arrangementwhich do not depart from what I claim as my invention will readily occurto those skilled in the art, and the construction as shown in thedrawings and above described is to be regarded as merely illustrative ofthe invention.

I claim:

1. In a phonograph record cabinet, a series of sliding drawers normallyvertically superposed within the cabinet, shelves subdividing eachdrawer into a series of superposed stepped compartments eachaccommodating a group of record carriers having transversely staggeredindex tabs, together with `means to halt said drawers in steppedrelation when the series is drawn out to afford a complete display ofthe index tabs of all the record carriers in the cabinet in verticallystepped groups with the tabs of each group transversely staggered.

2. In a honograph record cabinet, a` series of sliding record supportssubdividing the interior of the cabinet into a series of superposedcompartments, each accommodating a group of record carriers withtransversely staggered index tabs, means to halt said supports invertically stepped relation When the series is drawn out to afford acomplete display of the index tabs of the series of record carriers invertically stepped groups With the tabs of each group arranged intransversely staggered relation.

3. In a phonograph record cabinet, a series of sliding record supportssubdividing the interior ofthe cab-inet into a series of superposedcompartments, each acocommodatingpa group of record carriers Withtransversely staggered index tabs, means to halt said supports invertically stepped relation When the series is drawn out to afford acomplete display of the index tabs of the series Copies o! this patentmay be obtained for of record carriers in vertically stepped groups withthe tabs of each group arranged in transversely staggered relation, saidrecord carriers being independent of each other and readily removablefrom the cabinet and being replaceable in any incomplete group lacking acarrier With index tab similarly placed, While maintaining the indexdisplay of the series complete irrespective of the precise location ofany record carrier in the cabinet.,

4. In a phonograph record cabinet. a shelf having a series of Wire rodgroups forming record supports and abutment means at the back of theshelf, stepped to insure the presentation of the record groups on theseveral rod groups in stepped relation at the front of the shelf.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ABEL E. CHERNACK.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington,ID. C.

